Charging apparatus



Feb. 4, 1958 H. MCFEATERS CHARGING APPARATUS Filed May 11, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 H. L. MCFEATERS CHARGING APPARATUS Feb. 4, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 11, 1955 INVENTOR. HARRYL. Mc/EA TE'RS dam, bk *M fi/ls Afiorneys.

Feb. 4, 1958 H. L. MOFEATERS 2,82

CHARGING APPARATUS Filed May 11, 1955 5 Shee cs-Sheet 5 ARR) L- McFEA TERS 6/5- Afforneys.

Feb. 4, 1958 H. L. M FEATERS CHARGING APPARATUS Filed May 11, 1955 Jig). 6'

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 SUPPL Y INVENTOR.

hARRr L 'MCFEA TERS ZLUL MQLA ML his A #orrleys.

CHARGING APPARATUS Harry 1.. McFeaters, New Castle, Pa., assignor to Fennsylvania Engineering Corporation, New Castle, Pa., 21 corperation of Pennsylvania Application May 11, 1955, Serial No. 507,631

Claims. (Cl. 266-34) The present invention relates to charging apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for feeding oxygen to a converter in the oxygen process of steelmaking.

For many years steel has been produced by the Bessemer process wherein air is blown upwardly through a molten charge of iron and impurities contained in a converter. Although this process produces steel quickly and inexpensively, the product has limited uses. As the needs for steels become more diversified, the types and varieties of steel required likewise have undergone diversification. Because of its relative inflexible operation, the Bessemer process cannot produce many of these steels.

Of more recent years, the requirement for an inexpensive, fast method of producing different varieties of steel has been met by the so-called oxygen process of steelmaking. Bessemer process, in that instead of air, relatively pure oxygen is used, and instead of bubbling the gas upwardly through the molten iron, the gas is fed downwardly into a converter or crucible. Ordinarily, the oxygen is fed through a lance tube which is inserted vertically downwardly into the converter.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the lance tube must be readily positioned with respect to the molten charge in the converter and easily removed therefrom to an adjacent area to permit other operations, such as charging or emptying the converter. Because of the size of the structure involved and particularly the severe heat radiation attendant temperatures of 3200 F. or higher in this process, the positioning and moving of the tube are not readily or conveniently accomplished. Moreover, during the use of the lance tube it is desirable to station it at substantially. the same position within the converter for successive batches. Not only is this positioning desirable from the standpoint of uniform operation, but if the tip of the tube is too near the top of the converter, there is the danger that air may be aspirated into the converter by' the oxygen stream. This is undesirable since a deleterious amount of nitrogen may become fixed in the composition of the steel being produced. Further, in actual practice it is often very difiicult, if at all possible, for an operator manually to gauge the correct amount of. penetration of the lance tube into the converter because of the heat of the molten charge and the danger. of relatively close contact with the converter.

The apparatus of the present invention obviates all of the foregoing difiiculties. The instant charging apparatus is simple in construction and yet suificiently rugged readily to charge a fluid to a receiver in a manner practiced in the oxygen process of steelmaking. The present apparatus may also be readily removed from its position over the converter to a non-interfering station and thereby permit other operations adjacent the converter. In the preferred form, my apparatus also includes means for automatically stationing the tube at-a desired position with respect to the converter.

This process may be regarded as a modified 2,22,163 Patented Feb. 4, 1958 In one form, the present apparatus includes converging support beams joined together at their adjacent ends and adapted for pivoting about their diverged ends. Clamping fingers are pivotally mounted on the support beams and connected by a link such that pivoting one clamping finger pivots the other in an opposite direction, so that the fingers are moved either toward or away from one another. A hydraulic cylinder carried byone of the beams pivots one of the clamping fingers. A crane lowers and raises the lance tube between the clamping fingers and toward and away from the converter. This tube which conducts the oxygen to the converter comprises concentric pipes. A coolant flows through'the annular area between the pipes. Upon lowering the tube between the fingers and toward a converter, a lug on the tube trips a switch of an electric circuit when the tube reaches a predetermined position. The circuitis adapted to actuate the hydraulic cylinder and pivot the clamping fingers which thereby grasp the tube.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a presently preferred embodiment wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my charging apparatus as it may be used in the oxygen process for making steel;

Figure 2 is a section of Figure 1 on the line IIII;

Figure 2A is a section on the plane of the line Ila-Ila in Figure 2;

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the supporting beams and clamping fingers of Figure 1;

Figures 4 and 5 are enlarged plan views of the clamping fingers of Figure 3 showing the fingers in open and closed positions, respectively;

Figure 6 is an offset section of Figure 4 on the line VIVI;

Figure 7 is a vertical section of the lance tube of Figure 1; and

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of apparatus for operating the clamping fingers when the tube reaches a predetermined position.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus disclosed includes a removable and guiding clamping apparatus generally shown at 10, a lance tube and supporting crane generally shown at 11, and a converter 12 in which the steel is produced. In particular, a suitable framework consisting of beams 13 and 14 supports the overhead apparatus. Two forward vertical beams 15 and 16 carry brackets 17 and 18, respectively, in which pins 19 and 20 are fixed. A plate 21 has a sleeve 22 free to pivot on pin 19 and is fixed to a side strip 23 and supporting beam 24. A plate 25 similarly has a sleeve 26 free to pivot on pin 20 and is fixed to a side strip 27 and supporting beam 28. Plate 25 terminates in a vertically disposed flange 29 to which a double-acting hydraulic cylinder 30 is bolted.

Support'rnernbers or beams 24 and 28 converge toward one another and are shown joined by an end member or plate 31 and spaced-apart side members or plates 32' and 33. Plate 31 carries a bail 34, while plates 32and 33 support members or additional plates 35 and 36, plate 35'having an opening to receive a lance tube. To this end, a guiding funnel 37 is mounted atop plate 35 about the opening, and clamping fingers 38 and 39 are pivotally carried by pins itl and 41, respectively, which are fixed in the plates 35 and 36.. Clamping finger 38 has a cup-shaped end 42, a sleeve 43 to turn about the pin 40, a centrally protruding portion 44, and a rear, wardly extending portion 45. A rod 46 pivotally cont nects the latter to the piston rod of the cylinder 30. Clamping finger 39 has. a cup-shaped end 47', a sleeve 48 to turn about the pin'41, and a centrally protruding portion. 49. A link 50 pivotally connects: portions.

and 49. Chains or suspending means 51 limit the downward pivoting of the assembly about the pins 19 and 20.

A lance tube 52 is moved with respect to the fingers 38 and 39 and the converter 12 by means of a crane generally shown at 53. The crane has a boom 54 and op erators platform 54a. The boom pivots about a post 55 journaled in sockets 56 and 57 which are fixed to the beam 13. A reversible motor 58 carried on the'boom drives a winch 59 through a gear reducer which pays out and draws in a cable 60. The latter travels over a pulley 61 on the boom and terminates in a hook 62 engagable with a bail 63 pivotally carried by the tube 52. As shown in Figure 7, the tube itself comprises three concentric pipes including an innermost pipe 64 fitted with an elbow 65 to which a flexible hose 66, leading to a source of oxygen, is attached. A second pipe 67 has a fixed inlet nipple 68 to Which a flexible hose 69 carrying a coolant such as Water is attached. The pipe 67 is welded to a collar 70. A ring 71 spaces collar 70 from the pipe 64. Packing rings 72 and a packing nut 73, which threadably engages collar 70, seat the spacing ring 71 against the upper end of the pipe 67. A third pipe 74 has a fixed outlet nipple 75 to which a flexible discharge hose 76 is attached. Pipe 74 has an opening to accommodate the nipple 68 and is welded to the collar 76 and nipple 68. Pipe 74 also has trunnions 76 to receive the bail 63. The lower tip of the lance tube consists of a beryllium copper inlet tube 77 brazed to the pipe 64. Tube 77 is integral at its lower end with an outer tube 78 that is brazed to the pipe 74 of the tube 52.

Figure 8 illustrates a circuit for raising and lowering the lance tube and for operating the clamping fingers when the tube reaches a predetermined position with respect to the converter 12. A double throw-double pull switch 79 connected across the main supply lines 80 en ables the motor 58 to be driven in either direction, depending upon the selected closed position of this switch. Accordingly, the cable 60 and tube 52 are either paid out or drawn in. A branch circuit comprising conductors 81 and 82 contains a normally closed, spring-loaded push button 83, a limit switch 84, and a solenoid 85 of a spring-loaded sleeve valve 86 of standard construction. Normally, the valve 86 diverts compressed air from a source 87 through conduits 88 and 89 and exhausts through conduit 90 and port 91. This direction of fluid flow thrusts the connecting rod 46 to the right as viewed in Figure 8 so that the clamping fingers 38 and 39 are maintained in an open position.

In operation, the beams 24 and 28 may be lifted by the bail 34 to a non-interfering position shown by the dotted lines 92 in Figure 3. In this manner, the beams and attendant apparatus do not interfere with other operations of the converter such as charging it with molten metal. Thereafter the beams are lowered into position and the switch 79 closed, so that the motor 58 lowers the lance tube. As the latter descends, a lug 3 on the tube strikes arm 84a of the limit switch 84 thereby energizing the solenoid 85. This shifts the sleeve valve to divert air from conduit 88 through conduit 9t) to force the connecting rod 46 to the left, the exhaust air traveling through conduit 89 and out of port 94.

This movement of the connecting rod 46 closes the clamping fingers 38 and 39 about the tube. Upon observing the clamping action, an operator opens switch 79 to stop the lowering of cable 60. After the completion of the blow in the converter, the operator depresses push button 83. This breaks the circuit of conductors 81 and S2 and permits the spring-loaded sleeve in valve 86 to revert to'its original position wherein air is diverted through conduit 89 to thrust the connecting rod 46 outwardly and open the clamping fingers. Switch 79 is now closed in its other position so as to pull in cable fill and raise the lance tube. As lug 93 returns the arm 84a of the limit switch 84 to its original open position, the branch circuit is also opened at this point, and the push button 83 may now be manually released. After the tube is withdrawn, beams 24 and 28 may again be raised to a non-interfering position. Thereafter, the operation as described is repeated.

While the foregoing disclosure describes a presently preferred embodiment, it is understood that the invention may be practiced in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for clamping an elongated article in a predetermined vertical position including converging support members adapted to pivot about their diverged ends, a connecting member for adjacent ends of the support members, cooperating clamping fingers to receive said article therebetween and being pivotally mounted on the connecting member, a link connecting the fingers whereby pivoting one finger pivots the other in an opposite direction, means carried by one of the support members to pivot one of the fingers, and means responsive to a predetermined vertical position of the article between the fingers to actuate said finger pivoting means.

2. Apparatus for charging a receiver including a charging tube adapted to be lowered vertically toward the receiver and means to receive and position the tube with respect to the receiver comprising support beams joined one to another at their adjacent ends, each beam being adapted for pivoting about its other end, whereby said receiving and positioning means may be removed from an interfering station over the receiver to permit other operations, cooperating clamping fingers pivotally mounted adjacent the joined ends of the beams, a link connecting the fingers whereby pivoting one finger pivots the other in an opposite direction, and means carried by one of the beams to pivot one of the fingers.

3. Apparatus for charging a receiver including a substantially vertically disposed charging tube adapted to be lowered toward and into the receiver, and means to receive and position the tube at a predetermined point with respect to the receiver comprising converging support beams, a plate connecting the adjacent ends of the beams, cooperating clamping fingers adaptedv to receive said article therebetween pivotally mounted on the plate, a link connecting the fingers whereby pivoting one finger pivots the other in an opposite direction, means carried by one of the beams to pivot one of the fingers, and means responsive to a predetermined vertical position of the tube between the fingers to actuate said finger pivoting means.

4. Apparatus for charging oxygen to a converter in the oxygen steelmaking process including a substantially vertically disposed lance tube adapted to be lowered toward and into the converter, means to cool the tube, and means to receive and position the tube at a predetermined point with respect to the converter comprising converging support beams adapted to pivot about their diverged ends whereby said receiving and positioning means may be removed from an interfering station over the converter to permit other operations, a plate connecting the adjacent ends of the beams, cooperating clamping fingers adapted to receive the tube therebetween pivotally mounted on the plate, a link connecting the fingers whereby pivoting one finger pivots the other in an opposite direction, means carried by one of the beams to pivot one of the fingers, and means responsive to a predetermined vertical position of the tube between the fingers to actuate said finger pivoting means.

5. Apparatus for charging oxygen to a converter in the oxygen steelmaking process including a substantially vertically disposed lance tube comprising concentric pipes, the innermost pipe being adapted to receive and charge oxygen to the converter, an outer pipe being sealed about the innermost pipe and adapted to receive and discharge a coolant, means to lower and withdraw the lance tube with respect to the converter, and means to receive and position'the tube at a predetermined point with respect to the converter comprising converging support beams adapted to pivot about their diverged ends whereby said receiving and positioning means may be removed from an interfering station over the converter to permit other operations, a plate connecting the adjacent ends of the beams, cooperating clamping fingers adapted to receive the tube therebetween pivotally mounted on the plate, a link connecting the fingers whereby pivoting one finger pivots the other in an opposite direction, means carried by one of the beams to pivot one of the fingers, and means responsive to a predetermined vertical position of the tube between the fingers to actuate said finger pivoting means.

6. A charging apparatus for raising and lowering a charging lance into and out of an open mouth of a converter and for holding it during a charging operation in an accurately aligned and supported position within the converter which comprises, a support structure, an overhead hoist means operatively mounted to project forwardly of said support structure, means on said hoist to engage an upper end portion of the lance to raise and lower it into and out of the converter mouth, a suspension frame swingably mounted on said support structure to project forwardly therefrom in a vertically spacedapart-under position with respect to said hoist means, and means to swing said suspension frame vertically into and out of position in alignment above the converter mouth, cooperating clamps operatively positioned on said suspension frame, and means operatively connected to said clamps to close them about the charging tube when it has been lowered by said hoist means into the converter mouth and to open them about the tube when said hoist means is to be employed to raise the tube out of the converter mouth.

7. A charging apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein, means is interposed in the path of movement of the lance that is operatively connected to said means for opening and closing said clamps to actuate said clamps and close them when said hoist means has lowered the lance into position within the converter mouth.

8. An apparatus for clamping an elongated article in a predetermined vertical position including support members, means connecting adjacent ends of the support members, cooperating clamping fingers adapted to receive the article therebetween and being pivotally mounted with respect to each other on said means, means carried by one of the support members to pivot said fingers with respect to each other, and means responsive to a predetermined vertical position of the article between said fingers to actuate said finger pivoting means.

9. In apparatus for charging a receiver including a charging tube for the receiver and means to move the tube between upper and lower positions with respect to the receiver, a support, clamping means operatively carried by said support and having clamping portions to cooperate with the tube, means operatively connected to said clamping portions to open them about the tube and release the tube before it is moved by the first-mentioned means and to close said clamping portions about the tube after it has been moved by the first-mentioned means, and said second-mentioned means having means operatively positioned to respond to the positioning of the tube.

10. Apparatus as defined n claim 9 wherein said lastmentioned means has a portion cooperating with the tube and actuated by the lowering of the tube to actuate said second-mentioned means to close said clamping portions in response thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,345,930 Jones July 6, 1920 1,391,507 Riveroll Sept. 20, 1921 1,809,324 Austin et a1. June 9, 1931 1,884,861 Remde Oct. 25, 1932 2,604,220 Frischmann July 22, 1952 2,645,372 Broersma July 14, 1953 2,651,424 Johnson Sept. 8, 1953 2,741,555 Cuscoleca et al. Apr. 10, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 622,419 Great Britain May 2, 1949 

